Middlebury Fire Department

Motor Vehicle Accident With Fire I-84 East Prior To Exit 17 8/2/09

During a heavy thundershower witnesses say a Dodge Stratus may have been bumped by a trailor truck causing it to lose control and collide with a bridge. The occupants of the car sustained minor injuries but shortly after the crash the car caught fire. With heavy traffic bringing the highway to a stand still in both directions the fire crews were delayed to the scene arriving to find the car fully engulfed in flames. As crews moved the belongings of the people who owned the car and Engines 2 and 3 prepared to stretch a line while Middlebury's Engine 1 used it's roof mounted monitor to roll in and drown the fire. The other fire fighters advanced a line to mop up the remaining fire. The highway would be partially opened 15 minutes later and completely opened in another 25 minutes after the investigation was completed and the highway cleared.